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CYBERSECURITY EDUCATIONGrant to Support High-Potential Computer Science Students
The University of Texas at El Paso received a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide financial support and professional development experiences to talented students in the field of computer science.
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POWE-GRID RESILIENCERestoring Power to the Grid
Computer scientists have been working on an innovative computer model to help grid operators quickly restore power to the electric grid after a complete disruption, a process called a black start.
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BATTERIESIlluminating the Barrier to Next-Generation Battery That Charges Very Quickly
In the race for fast-charging, energy-dense lithium metal batteries, researchers discovered why the promising solid electrolyte version has not performed as hoped. This could help new designs – and eventually battery production – avoid the problem.
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COASTAL CHALLENGESHalf of U.S. Coastal Communities Underestimate Sea Level Risks
Many communities in the United States underestimate how much sea level will rise in their area, according to a new study. In many cases, especially in Southern states, local policymakers rely on one average estimate of sea level rise for their area rather than accounting for more extreme scenarios.
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COASTAL CHALLENGESSea Change for Hull
With a changing climate and rising sea levels putting cities at risk of flooding, it’s crucial for planners to increase their cities’ resilience. A new tool has been developed to help them – and it started with the throwing of a thousand virtual hexagons over Hull.
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POWER-GRID RESILIENCEScience and Supercomputers Help Utilities Adapt to Climate Change
Northern Illinois traditionally enjoys four predictable seasons. But climate is changing, with big repercussions for the people who live in the region and the power grid that supports them.
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COASTAL CHALLENGESNew Generator Rolls into Ocean Energy
Tsunamis, hurricanes, and maritime weather are monitored using sensors and other devices on platforms in the ocean to help keep coastal communities safe—until the batteries on these platforms run out of juice. The nanogenerator harnesses the energy of the ocean to power sensors and more.
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MAINTENANCESupply-Chain Disruptions a Threat to Maintenance of Infrastructure, Critical Equipment
The ability to deploy and maintain infrastructure and equipment is crucial to military operations and national security. But there is a problem: the ability to make and repair equipment in a wide range of operational environments is increasingly vulnerable to disruptions in global supply chains and to attacks.
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DISATER PREPARATIONPreparing to Be Prepared
Even in a country like Japan, with advanced engineering, and policies in place to update safety codes, natural forces can overwhelm the built environment. Miho Mazereeuw, an architect of built and natural environments, looks for new ways to get people ready for natural disasters.
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FLOODSA Changing Flood Recipe for Las Vegas
A new study shows that urbanization and climate change are changing the strength and seasonality of flooding in the Las Vegas region. Flood managers have built an extensive system of drainage ditches and detention basins to protect the public, but this engineering projects and urban development are interacting with climate change to alter the timing and intensity of flood risk.
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NUCLEAR POWERThe Heart of Next Generation Nuclear Reactor
Researchers at the Sandia Lab are working on the reactor at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility aretesting materials to make the next generation of fusion reactors, in the quest to develop more carbon-free energy sources.
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CLIMATE & CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTUREExtreme Storms and Flood Events Cause Damage Worth Billions to Ports – and They Are Most Disruptive to Small Island Developing States
Shipping ports are crucial for the global economy. But ports, by their nature, are located in coastal areas or on large rivers and are exposed to natural hazards such as storms and floods as a result. Scientists refer to the physical damage caused by natural hazards and the monetary loss associated with port closures and reconstruction as “climate risks”. 1,340 of the world’s largest ports in terms of trade flow are vulnerable to climate risks.
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RARE EARTH ELEMENTS (REEs)Rare Earths Find in Sweden: A Gamechanger?
A big find of raw materials critical for green technology has been announced in Sweden. Since Europe does not produce its own so-called ‘rare earths’ so far could this news be a gamechanger?
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U.S. MANUFACTURINGBringing Manufacturing Back to the U.S. Requires Political Will, but Success Hinges on Training American Workers
The lack of manufacturing competitiveness in the U.S. leaves the U.S. vulnerable to shortages of critical goods during times of geopolitical disruption and global competition. The strategies the U.S. employs in bringing back manufacturing, along with innovative practices, will be key to ensure national security.
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NUCLEAR POWERA New Way to Assess Radiation Damage in Reactors
A new method could greatly reduce the time and expense needed for certain important safety checks in nuclear power reactors. The approach could save money and increase total power output in the short run, and it might increase plants’ safe operating lifetimes in the long run.
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More headlines
The long view
DOMESTIC TERRORISMConcerns About Extremists Targeting U.S. Power Stations
Attacks on four power stations in Washington State over the weekend added to concerns of a possible nationwide campaign by far-right extremists to stir fears and spark civil conflict. Violent extremists “have developed credible, specific plans to attack electricity infrastructure since at least 2020, identifying the electric grid as a particularly attractive target given its interdependency with other infrastructure sectors,” the DHS said in a January.
BLOCKCHAIN & ELECTRIC-GRID RESILIENCEUsing Blockchain to Increase Electric Grid Resiliency
Blockchain is best known for securing digital currency payments, but researchers are using it to track a different kind of exchange: It’s the first time blockchain has ever been used to validate communication among devices on the electric grid.
ENERGY SECURITYHydrogen Changing Power Dynamics in Energy Sector
By Sergio Matalucci
As the EU tries to finalize its hydrogen rules, Asian countries are moving fast to secure deliveries and the US is committing money to set up local supply chains. Can the Middle East collaborate with both continents?
WATER SECURITYThe Cold War Legacy Lurking in U.S. Groundwater
By Mark Olalde, Mollie Simon and Alex Mierjeski
In America’s rush to build the nuclear arsenal that won the Cold War, safety was sacrificed for speed. ProPublica has cataloged cleanup efforts at the 50-plus sites where uranium was processed to fuel the nation’s nuclear arsenal. Even after regulators say cleanup is complete, polluted water and sickness are often left behind.